What Visions May Come
by MadamWriterGal
Summary: Van finds himself in heaven after his life is cut short by a horrible disease. Upon meeting Balgus he discovers that Hitomi has been sent to live an eternity in the underworld for committing the sin of suicide. Will Van be able to save her? R
1. The First Vision

Author's Note: This fan fiction was inspired by the wonderful book and movie, What Dreams May Come. No one ever writes about what happens after everyone on the television series dies so I thought that this would be a good idea for a chapter fan fiction. I hope that you like it.

What Visions May Come

Chapter One: The First Vision

_When I was fifteen I meet this really great girl. We didn't know it at the time but that girl and I we were destined to be soul mates. We were separated for a while but when we reunited we got married. We had two children, a boy and a girl. We lived happily for many years. Unfortunately that happiness would not last._

Van stood in large field of red, purple, yellow, and blue flowers that seemed to stretch for an eternity into the distance. He felt that the scenery was familiar, although he didn't recall ever being in a place like it before. He let his eyes pass over the landscape and took in all the details one by one.

In the distance there was a blue mountain range that snaked into the green hills of a valley. A ways down from where he stood, he could hear the gentle trickling sound of a stream. Various trees and plant life grew up from the red earth of the field. Birds whistled unfamiliar tunes from the branches of a sycamore tree standing to his left. He placed one of his hands over his eyes to shield them from the sun as he looked up at the strange, yellow, pink, and fuchsia sky that stretched above him, in wonder.

_Where am I? I don't remember traveling to a place like this on business for the kingdom. I don't remember anything…_

Van decided to check out the rest of the area to get a better idea of where he had ended up. When he made an attempt to move one of his legs forward he stopped dead in his tracks. With a sudden jolt of panic Van realized that his body felt light as a feather. He returned his leg to its place beside the other and stared blankly at the sea of flowers surrounding him on all sides. As he stood in the field perplexed at his body's current weightless state, he noticed that all of his senses had been dramatically heightened.

He seemed to experience every sensation of smell, taste, touch, and sight more than he had ever felt them in his entire life. He could feel the silky embrace of the wind, taste the rays of sunlight shining down on him, hear the music of the birds uniting like a chorus, and smell the unique aroma of every flower in the field. If he focused hard enough, he had the ability to make all of the sensations wash over his body at once, like one unifying force of ecstasy. It was a nearly overpowering feeling, unlike anything he had ever experienced.

He looked over the landscape again, more confused than he had been before. All at once he caught sight of a large, gray castle rising up from the field to his right. He thought it strange that he hadn't noticed the castle before but he pushed that minor detail to the back of his mind. It occurred to him that he might be able to find someone either in or near the castle who could tell him where he was. Against his better judgment, he cautiously began to walk toward the structure's massive frame. He tried not to pay attention to the fact that his body had no weight to it as he followed a stone path that cut through the field of flowers and led to the front entrance of the castle.

As he drew closer to the large grey walls of the giant structure, he couldn't help thinking that it looked very similar to the castle he grew up in as a young boy. It stirred memories of him hanging off his brother's arm as the two played together in one of his castle's lavish garden that sat beyond the gated walls. When castle was only a few feet away he got a better look at the gray walls. He was surprised to see the Fanelian crest embedded on the first two towers that framed the entrance. There was no doubt about it; the castle was indeed the same one he had lived in with his family all of those years ago.

Van remembered that the castle had been burned to the ground during the war with Zaibach. It had been replaced with a newer, grander version a year after the war had ended. He hadn't seen that of his former home in ages and he thought it strange to be looking at an image of his past. As he reached the front entrance of the castle, he began to question how it was that he could be in the presence of a structure that only existed in his memories.

That is when he saw someone that made him stop dead in his tracks. He rubbed his eyes a few times to make sure that his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. After rubbing his eyes for the third time in a row he convinced himself that what he was seeing was not an illusion. He could still see the muscular arms of an over-sized man swinging what appeared to be a sword beyond a tall, arched opening near the front entrance of the castle. Van felt his heart race behind his chest as the man drew closer into view. He couldn't believe it. Standing only a short distance away from him in the open area beyond the front entrance was none other than his former sword master, Balgus.

The tall, battle scarred man was practicing his fencing work in the castle's courtyard. Van didn't know what to think as felt himself speed up to meet him. His eyes widened as he reached the large, built frame of his former mentor and friend. Balgus continued practicing his sword technique as Van walked up to beside him, feeling very confused.

Van felt himself shake a little when he asked, "Balgus, where am I?"

Balgus stopped practicing his sword work and looked down at the young king.

"Well Van, you are where you want to be. The time comes for everyone where they cross over into the next realm. This is none other than your personal heaven."

Van surprisingly felt at peace with that answer.

He was a little more calm when he asked, "If I am dead where are my father and mother? I would like to see them. And where is Folken? I've missed them all terribly these many years."

Balgus twisted the hilt of his weapon in his hands and looked at the young king thoughtfully.

"You will meet them in time. Right now you have a greater task before you."

Van blinked.

"What is wrong? Aren't I finally reunited with everyone I love?"

Balgus frowned.

"Not everyone."

Van thought about what Balgus could possibly mean by that and then felt his muscles tighten underneath his skin when he realized who is mentor was referring to.

"H-Hitomi! Where is she?"

Balgus let out a heavy sigh.

"She is a place you can never reach her. When she found out that you died she took her own life. I'm sorry Van but anyone who commits the sin of suicide cannot enter into the realm of heaven."

Van felt the color drain from his face.

"Why? I don't understand it, Balgus. Hitomi was kind. She loved everyone. She loved me! Why can't she be in heaven?"

Balgus continued dragging the blade of the weapon across the floor as he moved it back and forth in his hands.

"I don't make the rules Van. I just carry them out."

Van felt his patience leave him as he suddenly raised his voice and yelled, "Please you must tell me that there is some way I can get her back!"

Balgus stopped twisting his weapon in a wide circle in front of him. He leaned against the hilt of his sword and stared down at the young king with a grave expression on his face.

"I can take you to the underworld but you are not guaranteed to get her soul back. People who commit suicide live in self pity and doubt. Their personal hell is living the tragedies of their lives over and over. Many are addicted to the pain and can never be revived. Knowing this are you still willing to help her?"

Van pursed his lips together and nodded tensely.

"Yes. I cannot live an eternity without Hitomi by my side."

Balgus picked up his weapon and placed it on his shoulder.

"Very well. Then we will take off first thing in the morning."

Van nodded and then sunk to the cool, gray floor of the courtyard. He watched Balgus slide the sword off his shoulder and continue to practice his fencing techniques. Beyond the two men the color-streaked sky turned into a dark wave of blue and black. Van was at a loss of what to say as he continued to watch his sword master swing his weapon in an offense attack pattern before his eyes.

Van didn't know how he was going to free Hitomi from her imprisonment in the underworld or how much Balgus could help him on his quest. All he knew was that he was going to do everything in his power to make sure his love was safe in his arms again. Encouraged by the overwhelming grip of worry that had tightened itself around his heart he sunk down further until his entire body was stretched out on the courtyard floor. He drifted into a heavy sleep brought on by a sudden wave of shock that washed over his body and made every limb feel numb. He was laid motionless on the cool surface of the courtyard, eyes shut and his face pulled tight with worry. Balgus stopped practicing his sword work and looked over at Van with a sigh.

"You'll be alright in the morning, My Lord. You just rest yourself up for now. That was a lot of information to take in all at once. I don't want to move you. You might wakeup if I do, and you need to sleep some of your worry off. I'll leave you there for the time being. It's not like you'll die of a cold or something if I do."

Balgus moved to a different area of the courtyard as not to disturb the young prince's sleep and continued to practice his fencing technique late into the night.

Later that evening, Balgus placed a blanket on Van's sleeping form that he had carried down from one of the rooms in the castle that towered above them. Van pulled the blanket around his shoulders and groaned in his sleep. Balgus took another blanket and wrapped it around his own body as he retired for the evening. Van didn't notice Balgus fall asleep next to his resting place on the courtyard floor as he began to dream about an event he hadn't thought of in years.

The dream was set two years after Hitomi had returned to The Mystic Moon. It was a sunny day in the kingdom of Fanelia, one of the brightest he had recalled seeing in a long time. He smiled as he put on the last pieces of his kingly armor and headed through his castle's courtyard to a power spot outside of the city.

He arrived to find Merle standing next to a large, vine covered pillar, which was one of many that were the remnants of an ancient shrine. Merle gave Van a sword to place on a decorated belt hanging below his armor. Van secured the sword to his belt as Merle led him toward the center of a row of pillars. The pillars stood in a circle, raising a vine-covered roof high above them. In the center of the structure was a stone table that rose out of the ground. The table was large and grey with ancient writing around the sides. Merle helped Van stand up on the table and the reached inside a satchel hanging by her side. As Van walked to the center of the ancient table, Merle proceeded to bring a pink drag-energist out of the satchel.

"I am going to send you to the Mystic Moon now, Lord Van. You can use your energist to get back again from the power spot of the shrine you battled the dragon at on Hitomi's world. I just hope that Hitomi will be there when you arrive."

Van stared toward the sky with a determined look on his face.

"If she is not, I will come back every day until I find her again. I'm not going to live a moment of my life without her any longer."

Merle rolled her eyes as she climbed up onto the table and placed her drag-energist inside a stone circle with ancient writing on the sides above the table where Van was standing. It hung above the two of them like a chandelier and had a series of teeth to keep the energist inside. The circular device had been left behind by an ancient race and served as a makeshift transportation unit when the energist was placed inside. It usually took a while for the energist to react to the power spot but Merle didn't want to take any chances. She hopped off the table after securing the energist to the device and then wrinkled her nose up at Van.

"I know that you want Hitomi to be with you, but you don't have to be so dramatic about it. Sheesh. I'm sure everything will go fine."

Van looked down at Merle and smiled nervously.

"I hope that you are right Merle. I'm already dressed for the occasion. I want us to be married as soon as today."

The ancient symbols on the circular device above began to light up one by one. Merle ran to the front entrance of the ruins as not to get in the way of the pillar of light generation process.

"The energist is reacting, Lord Van! Don't worry, you'll be fine. Just look for her at that track field place she was at. I know that you will find her!"

Van nodded and focused his energy into the symbols.

When the last symbol lit up a pillar of light appeared and carried him into the sky.

Merle ran underneath the light as it carried Van toward the heavens and waved.

"Please take care, Lord Van! You and Hitomi come back in one piece, ok?"

Merle was sure that she heard Van yell an encouraging response as the pillar of light was drawn up into the sky and shattered into a thousand tiny particles when it reached its highest point.


	2. The Second Vision

Author's Note: There are some PG-13 scenes in this chapter. This is the reason that I gave the story a teen rating. I apologize in advance for the rough transition between the story and the flashbacks. This is my first time writing flashbacks in a story this complex. If you have any suggestions on how I can make the transitions smoother, please let me know in the comment section.

What Visions May Come

Chapter Two: The Second Vision

Van woke up to find Balgus packing a bunch of supplies into a large, canvas bag. He jumped up from his place on the marble floor of the courtyard and gazed at his former mentor quizzically.

"What's going on, Balgus? Did I fall asleep?"

Balgus nodded as he continued to pack supplies, this time into a smaller grey bag resting beside the canvas one.

"Yes, my Lord. It is already morning. If you want to set out to find the Lady Hitomi, I suggest you help me pack a few more items so we will be prepared on our journey."

Van felt his chest tighten when he remembered the discussion he and Balgus had had the day before. He looked at Balgus with desperation in his eyes as he began to help him put the rest of the loose items in his canvas sack.

"We will be able to save her, won't we Balgus? Please just tell me that we will be able to save her. I don't care if I have to spend an eternity getting her back. Just please tell me we can save her…"

Van dropped the item he had intended to place in the bag and sunk to the floor. At that moment he felt that all of the life had drained from his body. The impact of the situation had finally hit him. Balgus sighed as he took the last item from Van and placed it in its intended bag. With the last item in place, he pulled the drawstrings of the two bags shut and then kneeled beside Van.

"Look, you majesty; I can't guarantee that we will be able to save her. No one has ever brought anyone back from Hell. I would be lying if I told you that I had all of the answers. The truth is that we are treading in uncharted territory. I don't even know if the two of us will be able to get through this journey unaffected."

Balgus saw the young king put his head in his hands and begin to sob. It was a painful thing to see his king in such a state, so he put one of his large hands on Van's shoulder and did his best to comfort him.

"I may not have all of the answers, but I know one thing. There is a way to get to the underworld through purgatory. If we can find a man named Isaac, we can get there."

Van raised his head from his hands and whipped his eyes as he turned to face Balgus.

"I don't care how long it takes or how many people I have to talk to; I just want to get her back."

Balgus took his hand off of Van's shoulder and nodded.

"Then we should leave now. We can't waste any more time talking in this place. You grab the grey bag and I'll grab the canvas one. We have a long journey ahead of us."

Van rose himself up from the marble floor of the courtyard. He shakily reached for the grey bag and placed the drawstrings over his shoulders in order to wear it like a backpack. Balgus put of Canvas bag on his shoulders in a similar fashion and then pointed toward a white structure in the distance.

"That building acts similar to a power spot on Gaea. It will take us anywhere in heaven or purgatory that we desire. It will be our first stop on our quest."

Balgus took a deep break and clapped his hands together. All at once, his body lifted from his place on the ground. He exhaled as his body was lifted into the sky effortlessly. When the old man was hovering high above Van, he smiled down at him.

"In heaven, all of your deepest desires are granted. Living around you and Folken as your grew up, I always had the desire to fly. It turns out that flight is a very common mode of transportation around here. Even without your Draconian wings, you can fly to wherever your heart desires. Why don't you give it a try?"

Van blinked a few times, surprised at his mentor's sudden ability to levitate his body off of the ground. After looking at his sword master with his mouth agape, he managed to pull himself together long enough to copy his technique. Van took a deep breath and clapped his hands together. Then he closed his eyes and focused on lifting his body off of the ground. As he exhaled, his body slowly began to rise from its place on the ground. He stared in wonder as his body lifted to the same level in the sky that Balgus was hovering at. Balgus smiled when Van reached him.

"There you go young master; you've got the hang of it! Now, follow me."

Balgus flew toward the white building in the distance and Van flew shakily after him, still trying to master his newly discovered abilities. When the two men reached the round, white structure, Balgus floated down into the center of it. Van followed after him and landed on a white platform that rose up from the center of it. Balgus walked toward the center of the platform and rose up his hands.

"Take us to the twelfth level of purgatory."

Van watched in amazement as a swirl of white light danced around them and shot up into the sky above. He and Balgus were transported to their new location in flash before Van had any time to question how the strange device worked. As the two men touched down on the platform, Van thought about a similar transportation that had taken place many years ago. The dream of the past experiences he had traveling to The Mystic Moon was a factor in making him remember the chain of events that followed his departure from the ancient ruin of Fanelia.

While Van had left earlier that afternoon to bring Hitomi back to Gaea, he recalled that she was busy working on her running techniques at her high school's track field. She was the only member of the track team still practicing her running drills that late in the afternoon. Even Yukari had gone home earlier that afternoon to spend some time studying for an upcoming exam.

Hitomi was about to practice a technique for coming off of the blocks that Amano had showed her, when a flash of light appeared in the distance. Hitomi lifted her spiked shoes off of the blocks and looked up just in enough time to see the pillar of light appear near the Shinto shrine behind her school's track field. As she stared at the light, a thousand questions flashed through her mind at once.

"Did I just see a pillar of light? I could have sworn it just touched down at the shrine. I wonder if anything was carried down with it. Do you suppose it carried something from Gaea? Maybe it carried…Van?!"

The thought that Van could be on her world was enough for Hitomi to abandon her running drills and sprint toward the Shinto shrine with all of the energy she had left. When she reached the familiar set of stairs that lead to the shrine she rested for a moment and then proceeded to run up the shrine's staircase. As she got closer to the top she could see the light disappearing. She felt her heart scream as she pushed herself to go faster.

"No! Don't leave me Van. Don't leave me, please…"

She was out of breath when she finally managed to reach the top. She leaned against one of the red pillars in an attempt to catch her breath and get some of her energy back. She was focusing so hard on sucking in a much needed breath of air that she did not hear a voice call out her name. She whipped her forehead with the back of her hand. After resting for a moment longer she turned around to see two Red-brown eyes staring back at her. Hitomi felt her eyes grow wet with tears.

"Van…it's really you? I can't believe it…"

Hitomi threw her arms around Van's neck and continued to sob tears of joy. Van put his arms around her waist and drew her close, tears forming in his own eyes.

"Oh Hitomi…I'm so glad that I have found you. I don't want to ever let you go again."

Hitomi pulled away from Van long enough to smile up at him.

"You know that I feel the same way, Van."

Van's eyes filled with joy at hearing his love's tender words.

"You will never know how happy those words makes me. I was sure that I was going to have some trouble finding you, but here you are! Now we can go back to Gaea! Just you and me. We can finally be together."

He gave Hitomi a tender kiss on his lips. The two kissed under the warm afternoon sun for what seemed like an eternity, and then returned to holding each other in a warm embrace. Hitomi was so caught up in the moment that she didn't hear the footsteps of someone approaching in the distance. She was surprised when she heard a familiar voice call her name.

"Is that…Yukari?"

Hitomi stepped out of her embrace with Van to see her red headed friend standing at the entrance of the shrine. Amano was standing beside her, carrying a brown grocery bag in his arms.

"Yukari! What are you doing here? I thought that you went home to study for your history exam."

Yukari walked over to Hitomi and winked at her as Amano followed behind, still carrying the bag of groceries in his arms.

"I did, but on the way home I ran into Amano. He was out buying supplies for his dorm and he asked me to come along. After we were done, we thought we would stop be the track field and invite you out to lunch, but when we got there you were running off toward the temple like a madwomen. We were concerned, so we followed you. We didn't expect to see this."

Yukari stared up at Van with a huge grin on her face. Van blushed when he realized that Yukari and Amano must have seen the whole reunion, including the kiss he gave to Hitomi just moment before. He felt that it was probably a good time to change the subject before he was embarrassed any further, but Amano nudged his shoulder before he could react.

"You must be the guy that Hitomi has been going on and on about for the last two years. To be honest, the whole story seemed farfetched, but there is no doubt in my mind now that you are the guy she's been talking about."

Hitomi looked at Van and then looked at her friends with a big smile on her face.

"Yes, this is Van. I've been waiting for a while for him to return to me. That's why I need to go. Van wants me to go back to Gaea with him."

Yukari's smiled faded.

"I know that you have been talking about this for a long time, Hitomi, but I wish you didn't have to go. Somehow I know that your family will understand. I know that we can explain things to everyone. It's just that…well Hitomi, you are my best friend!"

Yukari thrust her arms around Hitomi's shoulders and began to sob. Hitomi rubbed Yukari's back softly and let her cry into her chest.

"I will miss you too, Yukari. I will miss everyone. The fact is that I don't belong here. I have to go back to Gaea. That is my true home"

Yukari unclasped her hands and removed her arms from Hitomi's shoulders. As she rubbed her eyes, Amano set down the grocery bag and put his arms around her waist.

"Don't worry, Yukari. I promise that I will look after you. You are my girlfriend after all. I'll work extra hard to make you happy in Hitomi's absence."

Yukari placed her hand over one of Amano's.

"I know that you will, but I am still going to miss her."

Hitomi looked at her two best friends, tears still in her eyes.

"I will never forget you. I will always remember the good time that we had. You never know; maybe I can even visit you and my family once in a while. Or maybe you guys could even visit me. Is that possible, Van?"

Hitomi looked hopefully up at Van who nodded in return. He let his gaze fall Yukari and Amano as a large smile crept over his face.

"Hitomi can come back through the power spot any time she wishes. You may also visit her on Gaea. I will give you something that will make it possible for you to visit her in Fanelia at any time."

Van took out the drag-energist that he had used to transport himself to the Shrine and handed it to Yukari. Amano let his arms fall to his side as Yukari walked forward and grabbed the energist in her hands. She turned the strange item around in her hands a few times and then returned her gaze to Van.

"How does it work?"

Van pointed toward the front entrance of the shrine.

"I will show you. Follow me."

Van walked toward two large red pillars that stood at the entrance of the shrine and the others followed behind him. When he was under red-tiled roof of the shrine he pointed toward a circular opening above.

"If you place the energist in that power spot, it will generate a pillar of light."

Yukari looked at Van curiously and placed the drag-energist into the circular opening above the shrine. She instinctively stood back after placing the energist in the small hole, not quite sure what to expect. All at once, the energist reacted with the power spot and sent a pillar of light spiraling down from the heavens. Yukari and Amano stared at the dancing colors of white, yellow, and blue before them in awe.

Yukari didn't know quite what to say as Van added, "When Hitomi and I leave through the pillar, you can take the energist down and keep it for when you want to travel to Gaea. There is a power spot outside of Fanelia, so if you need to return to your world I can always send you back."

Yukari snapped out of her trancelike gaze and returned her attention to the young prince.

"Does this mean that you are leaving now? I know that I can see Hitomi whenever I want, but it feels like we are saying goodbye."

Van looked at the red head sympathetically and nodded.

"Yes Yukari, I'm afraid that we have to go now. I have something planned for Hitomi that requires her immediate presence. I'm sorry."

Yukari exchanged glances with Amano and then looked at her best friend.

"Hitomi, I want you to be happy. Just promise that you will visit us as often as you can, ok? Amano and I will try to do the same."

Amano winked at Hitomi.

"I'll be sure to remind Yukari to pay you a visit every once in a while. We'll come visit you together."

Hitomi dried her eyes for the first time since Van had arrived and nodded.

"Thank you Amano. Don't worry, you guys. I promise that I will visit you and my family as often as I can."

Yukari and Amano ran forward and gave their friend a big hug.

Yukari said, "We'll miss you! Don't forget to visit, you hear? If you don't come back soon, Amano and I are going to come through that portal and drag you back when you are not paying attention so you'll spend some time with us!"

Hitomi laughed and promised her friends that she would come back as often as she could.

Remembering how worried her mother had been the first time she left for Gaea. Hitomi added, "Oh, and please let my mom know that I love her and that I will see her soon as well."

Amano smiled and said, "We will tell your mother, I promise. You have our word."

The three friends embraced each other for a while longer until Van walked up to Hitomi and placed one of his hands on her shoulder.

"Hitomi, we have to go. You will see your friends and family again. With the energist, they can visit you any time. I'm sorry to cut your goodbyes short but it is urgent that we return to Fanelia by nightfall."

Hitomi glanced back at Van and nodded.

"Alright. I understand, Van. Let's go."

She pulled away from her two friends who joined hands as she walked with Van toward the pillar of light. Before she vanished with Van into the swirling pillar of energy she waved toward her two friends.

"Goodbye Yukari, Amano. I will see you soon! Tell everyone I love them. Goodbye!"

Amano and Yukari waved back as the pillar of light circled around Van and Hitomi and shot their bodies up toward the heavens.

Yukari stared after the pillar of light with tears in her eyes and whispered, "Be safe Hitomi. I'll miss you" as it carried the two young lovers up toward the havens and burst into a thousand tiny particles of light at its highest point.

Van and Hitomi returned to the ancient ruin where Van had set off to find Hitomi earlier that morning. The pillar lit up every corner of the structure and the two touched down on the stone table. Merle was leaning on one of the temple's pillars when Van and Hitomi came spiraling back to the temple, hold each other in their arms. When the pillar of light disappeared, Merle ran toward her two friends and hoped up on the table. She flung her arms open wide and gave them a big hug.

"Oh Van and Hitomi; I'm so glad that you are safe! I'm going to tell everyone that you are here."

Merle gave the two another squeeze before letting go and running out of the temple to inform everyone that they had arrived. Van took Hitomi's hands in his own and smiled gently toward her.

"Hitomi, I wanted you to come back with me today because I have something planned for us. I don't want you to force you to do anything you don't want to, but I had faith that you would accept my invitation."

Van let go of Hitomi's hands and paused to draw out two necklaces from underneath his armor. One of the necklaces had a silver chain holding a beautiful white gold ring. The other had a gold chain that held a yellow gold ring that was thicker and larger in size. He took off the silver necklace holding the white gold ring and placed it around Hitomi's neck. She stared at the necklace and then Van speechless.

He took her hands in his own again and then got down on one knee.

"Hitomi, I want you to be my wife. I promise that I will always make you happy for as long as I live. If you think it is too soon, then I will understand, but I am ready to give you my full heart now. Please accept my vow of eternal love."

Hitomi smiled down at Van, and somehow found the words to express her feelings despite the state of shock she was in.

"I accept. I have wanted to be by your side for the two years we have been apart. Every morning I would wake up and think of how much I wanted to be in your arms. I promise that I will be a good wife for you. I may not know about running a country, but I love you with all of my heart and I want to try."

Van laughed joyously and let go of Hitomi's hand. He raised her in the air by her waist and spun her around a few times, not paying attention to where his feet were landing as he was distracted by the overwhelming feeling of joy that had gripped him. He ended up stepping off the edge of the circular table and landing on the floor face up. Hitomi fell on top of him and when they realized their predicament the two busted up laughing.

Hitomi smiled down at Van from her position on top and said coyly, "I see that you still have all of the grace of your ancestors."

Before Van could protest, Hitomi leaned in to kiss Van and planted the largest kiss she had ever given him on his lips. Van felt his body weaken under hers as he pulled her close as he ran his fingers through her hair. The two kissed each other on the floor of the old ruin again and again, so wrapped up in their passion for one another that they did not notice the sound of footsteps approaching behind them. All at once, they heard someone clear their throat behind them and they stopped kissing long enough to find Merle staring at them with a look of disgust on her face.

"Eww, that is so gross. There is plenty of time for that AFTER the wedding. Come on you two; everyone is waiting!"

Merle tapped her foot as Van and Hitomi rose from the ground, both blushing furiously. They exchanged sheepish grins as Merle pull on their arms and led them out of the structure. When they reached the entrance they were greeted by a large group of people that had gathered around it. Everyone from the Fanelian royal court was there, dressed in extravagant gowns for the occasion. Hitomi looked at her own track clothes and felt a bit out of place. Van noticed Hitomi's discomfort and gently squeezed one of her hands.

"It doesn't matter what you are wearing. You are beautiful to me no matter what."

Hitomi felt her heart flutter at Van's words. She was overcome with so much joy that she almost failed to notice certain members that were standing in the crowd. All at once it hit her; everyone was there. Millerna and Dryden. Chid and Eries. Allen and Gaddes. The members of the crusade. Absolutely everyone she had met during her adventure on Gaea was there, dressed in their finest attire. They were all smiling at her as a huge smile swept across her own.

"Everyone is here; even Celena. Everyone has come to watch us get married! Oh Van, I'm so happy!"

She flung her arms around the startled prince and began kissing his cheeks over and over. Everyone laughed at the spectacle as Van's face turned redder than it had been before. Hitomi stopped kissing his cheeks long enough to see his face turn the color o a tomato and joined in everyone else's laughter. Van scratched the back of his head nervously and stared off into space, trying to act as casual as possible when he said, "I'm glad that it makes you happy Hitomi."

He cleared his throat and then continued, "Anyway, I think it is about time we got this wedding underway. Will you give me the honor of holding your arm, my lady?"

He stuck out his elbow and Hitomi placed her arms around it.

"Of course, My Lord. It would be my honor."

The two walked between the large crowd of people that had gathered at the ancient ruin as small children threw flower petals at their feet. The large group of people guided them to the castle which had been fully decorated for the occasion. All of the people of Fanelia gathered around the palace walls and in the courtyard to see the historic event. As they walked toward the throne room, Hitomi chatted with Allen and the others about her time on the Mystic moon and caught up with the events that had taken place on Gaea. She was relieved to hear that they were in a time of peace and that everyone was getting along well.

The throne room where the wedding took place was large and extravagant. There must have been a thousand people or more in the room but it was so massive that the people looked tiny by comparison. When they reached their destination, everyone sat in rows of chairs that had been set up for the occasion and Van and Hitomi nervously walked down the aisle. In between the two thrones, there was a priest in a long white robe ready to marry them. Before the ceremony took place, all of their friends stood up one by one in front of the crowd and talked about the good attributes of their good companions. There were dancers and bards that entertained between each of the Fanelian ceremonies and speeches by friends and relatives.

In the last portion of the wedding ceremony, Van and Hitomi tied the knot before the massive crowd of nobles and commoners alike. There was a great banquet set up in the throne room afterwards. Everyone danced and sang and told stories about the good old days. Van sat on his gold throne during the reception and Hitomi sat on a silver throne beside his as the different country representatives presented them with gifts. Van looked over at his new wife and felt his heart pound hard against his chest. He was going to make her the happiest bride in the world when the ceremony was over. He was too distracted by thoughts of their wedding night to pay attention to the gifts that were being laid at their feet.

When the festivities were over everyone retired to their respective bedroom chambers and the commoners ventured back to their homes in the kingdom below. Van led Hitomi to the royal bedroom chambers, which was shut off by a large gold door with two angels carved into each side of it. When the royal guards saw him approaching, they opened the doors and the two walked nervously inside. They both knew what was customary after a wedding and were feeling a bit shy about it. Van wanted to make his new wife comfortable so he showed her to a large bathroom chamber located on the far left of the room. When they stepped inside the bathroom, Hitomi saw that there was an extravagant tub, which was lined with oils and perfume. Van pointed toward a nightgown that he had costume tailored to fit her body that was laid out on a towel rack sitting next to the tub

"You can bathe and get dressed for bed. I know that you have had a tiring day. I don't want you to feel rushed into this. If you would rather relax this evening, I understand. It's not like we need an heir to the throne right away."

Van laughed nervously and kicked himself mentally when he realized that he was rambling on about a subject neither one of them was particularly comfortable discussing at the moment. His eyes widened when Hitomi disrobed in front of him and stepped toward the bathtub. It was filled with hot water the chamber maids had prepared for her a few hours before she had retired to her room. She situated herself inside the wide frame of the tub and then looked up at her new husband lovingly.

"Where you come from, is it customary for two people to bathe together? We are married now. There shouldn't be anything wrong with it."

Van stared at Hitomi with his mouth ajar. Was she really asking him to take a bath with her? It was an unusual request, but he suspected that having a wife from the Mystic Moon would be anything but ordinary. He felt himself slipping off his clothing before he had a chance to properly answer her. He got in the tub and sat next to the naked body of his wife. He tried not to think of the small detail that the two of them were sitting very close to each other wearing nothing more than what the Gods had graced them with upon their birth.

"I suppose it's not all that big of a deal. We are married after all."

Van tried to suppress his desires as Hitomi nodded and then began scrubbing herself. She hummed a song as she took a bottle of oil and placed it on her neck. Van watched the oil slide down her smooth skin seductively. He lost control of his senses and began rubbing the oil into her skin passionately with his hands. Hitomi let out a sigh of content and Van brought her back to his bare chest as he continued to rub her shoulders. The two spent the evening enjoying each other's company in the warm, soothing waters of the bathtub. When the sun started to rise up from the emerald hills beyond the palace walls they retired to bed, each dressed in their respective nightclothes. Van held his new wife in his arms contently as the two drifted into a deep slumber after a long evening of passion shared between them in the warm, placid water of the gold lined bathtub.


	3. The Third Vision

Author's Note: I apologize in advance for the rough transition between the story and the flashbacks. This is my first time writing flashbacks in a story this complex. If you have any suggestions on how I can make the transitions smoother, please let me know in the comment section. Also, I promise that the story will eventually go in a more positive direction. Right now, all of this drama is enough to make someone want to jump off a cliff or something. Just hang in there; things will be good in the end, I promise!

What Visions May Come

Chapter Three: The Third Vision

Van snapped back to reality when he realized that Balgus had started walking toward a busy marketplace in the distance. He wondered how long had been standing on the platform, daydreaming about the past as he ran to catch up with him. He looked around their new location in awe as he caught up to Balgus and followed closely behind. The new celestial area was very different than the place of heaven that the two men had come from. It was filled with human traders and beast men dressed in colorful garments.

Thousands of people filled the open spaces of the crowded marketplace, trading goods or talking to one another in raised voices in order to hear themselves above the other members of the crowd. Van absentmindedly followed Balgus to one of the booths where similar garments to the ones worn by the shoppers and merchants in the marketplace were being sold. When they reached the booth, Balgus turned to Van with a look of urgency on his face.

"Listen My Lord; I need to locate one of the traders in this market named Isaac. He knows how to transport souls from the twelfth level of purgatory to the eighth level of hell where the souls of those that have committed suicide are cursed to dwell in the afterlife. Isaac has been given this responsibility by the council of angels governing the fifteen realms of purgatory."

Balgus looked over his shoulder, as if to make sure no one was listening to their conversation and then leaned in close to Van.

"It will be less conspicuous if I look for Isaac on my own. Until I find him, I want you to wait near this booth. It may take a while because he doesn't reach this level of purgatory until the end of his shift. If I don't return by nightfall, I want you to camp out here. There are enough supplies in that bad to keep you satisfied for a while. Purgatory is not like heaven; you must keep yourself fed and watered. It isn't so much to keep you alive as it is to keep yourself from becoming a resident of this realm. The food of heaven allows you to exist in all realms. The moment you forget to eat it when you are in any other plane, you will be trapped in that plane until you taste the food of heaven on your tongue again. Please do not fail to keep yourself nourished with the food and drink of heaven while I am gone."

Van stared at the straps of the bag on his shoulder timidly and then gave Balgus a curt nod.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind. I'll wait here until you return."

Balgus grunted in response and then set off from the booth to find the man he was searching for. Van placed the grey bag on the ground and stared up at the sky. There were many colors swirling around like paint colors in a glass of water. Seeing all of the colors made him think of Hitomi.

_She always loved to paint._

Van thought of the day that his second child, Rayline was born. His three year old son Varrin kept standing up on a chair set up outside the royal bedchambers unable to sit still. He reached up occasionally to play with the edges of one of the pictures Hitomi had painted for Van after their wedding. Van was too nervous about Hitomi's delivery to tell his son to stop playing with one of his favorite paintings of the Fanelian castle done by his wife. Instead, he eventually picked Varrin up in his arms and sat him in his lap. Varrin began to fidget as he held him.

"Tree…tree!" Varrin looked up at the painting and pointed toward the trees in the background.

Van bounced the young prince in his lap and tried to calm him down.

"I know Varrin, you like the trees that mommy painted. I like them too, but right now we have to be patient. Mommy is in Labor. We have to pray to the Gods that she is going to have a safe delivery."

Varrin looked up at his father with his wide green eyes, a trait that he had inherited from his mother.

"Pray. Pray for mommy."

Van smiled down at his son.

"That's right. You and I will pray for her. Put your hands together like this."

Van put his hands over Varrin's and bowed his head. Varrin watched his father bend his head in reverence and with a looked up at him with curiosity in his eyes. He wiggled in Van's lap as he began to pray.

"Gods of the valley of Asgardia, we pray that our loved one will have a safe delivery. Please let another light of life come into this world unharmed. We pray this with all of our hearts. Your love is divine so we appeal to your good nature in letting another follower forth in the world to sing the glory of your names. May our hearts be blessed by your wisdom as we raise this new child in the ways of your teachings. Bless us in our walks of mortal life. With this we pray, Asmehen."

Van raised his head and released his hands from Varrin's, who clapped his newly released hands together in joy.

"Asmehen, Asmehen."

The young boy mumbled a few other nonsense words as a chamber maid burst out of the royal bedchambers carrying a wad of bloodied sheets. Her face was pale as she ran down the hallway, and another chamber maid followed after her. Van felt worry grip his heart as he saw another chamber maid close the doors after them, muffling the strained yells of Hitomi as she did. Varrin rubbed his eyes and stared up at his father sleepily.

"It's time for bed, Daddy. Why aren't we sleeping?"

Van tried to hide the fear in his eyes and rubbed Varrin's back soothingly.

"We are waiting for mommy, Varrin. We have to be patient."

Varrin frowned and hit his arms against his legs in protest.

"I want to go to bed. I want mommy to put me to bed. I want mommy!"

Tears started to bubble up from the corners of Varrin's eyes, and Van couldn't help feeling the same urge to cry. He kept himself collected as he bounced Varrin on his knees and stared intently at the door.

His voice cracked a little as he said, "Your mommy is feeling sick right now. We have to wait for her to get better. We have to wait for her…"

Varrin sensed that his dad wasn't in the mood to deal with his childish antics, so he whipped the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand and stared at the door in anticipation. Van barely noticed his son's reaction as a chamber maid burst out of the room and walked toward him, bowing her head in reverence.

"My Lord, the labor was a success. The queen is tired, but she seems to be holding up fine. There was a bit of a complication, but nothing that the palace nurse couldn't handle. You may see your wife and your little girl now, if it pleases you. Please follow me this way."

Van placed Varrin on the ground beside him and stood up from his chair, expelling a heavy breath of relief. He had thought that his wife had met her end, so hearing that news that she was alive and well stirred every feelings of happiness he had on reserve within him. He took Varrin's hand and the two followed the chamber maid into the palace bedroom where Hitomi lay, holding the newborn baby in her arms. When she saw Van and her son come into the room she smiled at them with the strength she had left.

"Van, Varrin, I am so happy that you are here."

Hitomi stroked the little girl's hair and then smiled down at Varrin.

"My precious boy, come look at your baby sister, Rayline. Isn't she beautiful?"

Varrin shyly approached the bedside, prodded along by Van and peeked up over the bed frame to get a look at his new baby sister. Her intense red eyes startled him and he hid behind one of Van's legs.

"Scary eyes. My sister has scary eyes."

Hitomi exchanged an amused look with Van and the two laughed at their son's funny remark. Van pulled his son out from behind his legs and kneeled down beside him.

"Your sister doesn't have scary eyes, Varrin. She has my eyes. She is the spitting image of me! You have the blonde hair and green eyes of your mother. That's why your sister looks different to you. She won't hurt you, my son. She is just a baby. Go say hello to her. I promise that it is alright."

Varrin gave his father a pouty look and then stared back up at the bed where his mother was holding his new baby sister in his arms. After giving his father another uncertain look, he walked toward the bed and climbed up on the frame again to look at his sister. He realized that his father was right; she had the same eyes that he did.

Varrin smiled down at his baby sister as he said, "You have daddy's eyes! Pretty eyes. I like pretty eyes."

Van joined his son at the side of the bed and stroked his daughter's newborn head.

"She is beautiful, Hitomi. Look at the wonderful thing that we have created together. She is a gift from the Gods, just like our son. She is perfect."

Hitomi smiled weakly at Van and gently stroked the top of his hand with her cheek, sending shivers up his spine.

"I am so grateful for everything I have. And just think; it's only the beginning of our adventure. We get to watch our children grow and live out the remainder of our lives together. We are truly blessed."

Van took his hand off his newborn daughter's head and stroked his wife's cheek.

"Yes. It's only the beginning."

The two stared lovingly at one another until their tender moment was broken by a chamber maid in a long, blue dress. She curtly informed Van that Hitomi and the newborn baby needed rest. He was hurried out of the room with Varrin at his heels as the chamber maid sent them away for the evening. When they were outside of the bedroom door, Van sent Hitomi a telepathic message with his hidden abilities.

"_I will see you in the morning, my love. Don't worry; I will make sure Varrin gets to bed on time."_

Van felt Hitomi give him a spiritual nod in response, as he took his son's hand and led him down the long corridor to his room in the east wing.

Van's thoughts were interrupted as he saw a young girl with long black hair appear before the merchant cart and then disappear into the crowd. Van stood from his spot on the ground, looking a little pale. It was then that the memories came flooding back to him like a suffocating wave.

_I remember now. My children…they are not on Gaea anymore. My poor children; why did they have to leave us? I would have died in their place_.

Van felt his eyes searching the crowd for the girl he had just seen, but he had no such luck. He sunk back on the ground and rubbed his temples.

_This place; it does things to your mind. You forget the things that once made you sad. I remember everything now. I can't believe that I let myself forget them. I want to see them so bad._

Van leaned against the grey sack and thought about the black-haired girl he had just seen in the marketplace.

_My sweet Rayline was that age when she…left us._

Van felt needles pricking at his limbs as he remembered the story. It played back before his eyes like a vision.

Hitomi was bent over a small coffin, weeping as the rain fell on her long, black satin dress. Van was bent over the coffin with her as he held her small, grieving form in his arms. He was wearing a black tunic and pants that did little to repeal the heavy drops of rain. The funeral held for their daughter was small and limited to the Fanelian royal house. The priests had offered Hitomi and Van an umbrella several times, but they had both fused. The rain was a welcome distraction from their current state of pain. Van felt numb as he held his wife in his weakening arms. He couldn't believe that his daughter had left them at only twelve rotations old.

After she was born, the nurse had said that due to the complications that came with her birth, she had trouble with her heart. She had given them hope over the years, telling them that their daughter would overcome her illness and grow to be a healthy young woman. Rayline held out as long as she could, but in the end her willpower alone was not enough. She became sick two months before her much anticipated birthday and took to her bed. Her eyes closed on the eve of her thirteenth birthday never to open again.

Fifteen year old Varrin was bent over the other side of the coffin, trying to hold back his tears. He wanted to be a support for his grief stricken mother, so he tried not to let the pain of losing his sister overtake him. He pushed his numb body off of his side of the coffin and took the hands of his mother in his own.

"I want you to be strong, mother. I am going to be a strong man for Rayline. I am going to lead this country with dignity in her honor. I will never let the memory of her laughter die from my heart. Please do not lose yourself to grief. You haven't eaten for an entire week. You are barley standing on your own. Father has to hold you up on that end of the coffin. Please mother; don't cry anymore. Please…"

Varrin broke down at his own words and began to sob. He took his hand from his mothers and banged against the coffin.

"I promised I would be a man. By the Gods…why am I crying? Why can't I stop crying? I have to be a man."

Van felt the tears on his cheeks increased their flow at his son's words. They seemed eerily similar to the words he spoke when he saw his mother crying at his father's grave those many years ago. He lifted his head from his wife's back and placed one of his hands one of his son's outstretched arms.

"It's ok to cry over someone you love, Varrin. You are not any less of a man for doing so. Sometimes, we show our strength through our weaknesses. I know that you will never let the memory of your sister die. Your mother and I will keep her in our hearts forever as well."

Van increased the grip he had on his son's arm and then returned his full embrace to Hitomi, who was beside herself with grief. The priests gathered around the coffin and began to sing Gaean prayers to the Gods in the halls of Asgardia. All of the royal council members and other heads of state began chanting with the music as the family mourned the young girl's untimely passing.

It took two priests to persuade Hitomi to leave the coffin, when it came time to lower it beneath the Fanelia earth to join the bodies of the other great queens and kings that had fallen. Hitomi's frail arms held onto Van's neck as the coffin was lowered into the earth and covered with layers of ancient stone. The grave sat beneath a giant statue of an angel that was sculpted to look like a young Rayline with her Draconian wings outspread. The statue smiled down on the family as if to let everyone know that she was happy in the land of the dead.

The rain began to clear up as the service ended and everyone started to journey back to the palace with some reluctance and with heavy hearts. When they got to the funeral banquet hall, Van was finally able to convince his wife to eat something after going a frightening amount of days without any nourishment. She took a few bites of a Fanelian dessert and then retired to her bedroom chambers for the evening. After calming his son's grief with some more words of encouragement, he also retired for the evening and joined Hitomi in their marriage bed. They held each other that evening and wept until the sun came out the next morning.

In time, they recovered from their grief. It was a matter of taking it a day at a time. Every day they discovered a new strength to carry on with their lives and appreciate the time they had with each other as well as with their son. Just when things were returning to normal, a sickness struck the kingdom and took the life of Varrin. It was only one year after their daughter had died, on the eve of Varrin's sixteenth birthday.

The death of the last heir to the throne came with the news that Hitomi was unable to bear any more children. Many council members were pressuring Van to find a new wife, but he refused to leave Hitomi for something so trivial. In a historic decision that shocked the members of the royal council, Van used his authority as king to appoint Merle and her husband Ismin as the new king and queen of his country. Merle had always been like a sister to Van, so he knew that no one could argue about the throne rights. Merle also had a ten year old Son named Osha that could succeed the throne. Van's last proclamation as King was to offer his and Hitomi's assistance as head advisors to help transition her into her family into their new roles.

It was many years later, when Osha was twenty years old, that Van caught the same illness as his son and passed away. He ended up in the strange piece of heaven that looked like his first castle and ran into Balgus shortly after. Then he learned that Hitomi had committed suicide. Given everything she had been through, Van understood her motives. She had nothing left tying her to the world. She had lost her children, and then her husband. Merle was a good friend, and Yukari and her family visited often enough, but in the end, Hitomi just wanted to be reunited with her loved ones that had been taken beyond the realm of the living world.

Van felt his fists tighten when he thought about the place she had ended up. How could the Gods send her to hell; especially after all she had been through? Didn't they understand the pain she felt at losing her husband and children? It didn't seem fair. How could the God's be so cruel?

Van's thoughts were interrupted as he saw the young girl with black hair and red eyes appear before him again. He stared up at her, not sure if he was seeing a vision of the past or the present. The little girl smiled and sat down next to him.

"Hey mister, what do you look so sad about? Are you waiting for someone? I'm waiting for my mommy and daddy to pick me up. I hope they come soon. I've been waiting here for a long time."

When Van heard the little girl's voice he felt his heart sink. It wasn't Rayline's voice. The little girl that had reminded him of his daughter was the child of someone else. Van saw the girl stare up at him expectantly and he shook his anxieties away long enough to give an answer to her questioning eyes.

"I'm waiting for my mentor to come back. He went to find someone that is going to help me find someone I love. I have to wait here until he returns."

The little girl blinked a few times.

"I hope he comes back, Mister. I think I've been waiting here a really long time. It's not all that bad though. There are lots of things to do and I can travel anywhere in purgatory that I like. If you see my mom and dad, can you tell them that I am waiting for them? My mom is really pretty. You can't miss her, even if you tried."

Van felt his heart go out for the young girl and he nodded gravely.

"If I see them, I will let you know. What are their names?"

The little girl scratched her head as if straining to remember and then said, "Sorine and Amus. They are millers of the country, Fanelia. I got separated from them in the war. I wish that they would come and find me."

Van felt very sad for the girl when he realized that she was talking about an event that happened before the Gaean War. The last Millers that owned factories in the countryside were present in his country just before Fanelia was burned to the ground. Her parents were either still alive in another part of Gaea, or else had died in the burning of his country. The little girl's separation was tragic and made him even more angered at the way the Gods treated those in the afterlife. He didn't want the girl to feel as hopeless as he felt for her situation so he smiled weakly at her and said, "If I see your parents, I promise that I will let you know."

The little girl smiled as she rose herself from the marketplace floor.

"Oh I am ever so happy. If you see them, tell them that Reha is looking for them. Thank you for helping, sir. I hope that you find what you are looking for too."

Reha waved and then disappeared into the crowed once more, leaving Van to stare after her in sadness. He prayed that the Gods would reunite her with her parents and would reunite him with his own children and wife. As he was saying his silent prayer, he noticed that the sun was starting to set above. The merchants were packing up their caravans and moving on. Most of the people had left the marketplace and journeyed to whatever level of Purgatory or Heaven that they called their home.

Van grabbed the grey sack he was leaning on and took out a loaf of bread. Remembering the words Balgus had told him about staying in purgatory, he took a few bits of the loaf and watched the water color sky turn into a watery mix of black, blue, and yellow. Pieces of bright light shone through the blurred colors swirling together above that Van guessed were stars. His mind kept wandering from the little girl to thoughts about his children. He wanted to be reunited with them, after he found a way to rescue Hitomi from the underworld. He only hoped that they were not searching for him in a level of purgatory that he could not reach. Or worse, had found themselves in some unknown level of the underworld that even Balgus could not help save them from.


	4. The Bureau Of Missing Souls

Author's Note: There are no plot advancing flashbacks in this chapter, so it shouldn't be as confusing. Thank you for putting up with the confusion in the other chapters before this one. The old man in the marketplace is based off of my grandpa. I love you grandpa! You are the coolest guy I know.

What Visions May Come

Chapter Four: The Bureau Of Missing Souls

Van woke the next morning to find a completely different scene than the day before. There were a few shops set up along the sides of the marketplace, but not as much as had been present the previous afternoon. A few people walked along the streets of marketplace, but there wasn't the same large crowd. Van wasn't familiar enough with Purgatory to really understand why there had been such a sudden change. He just hoped that Balgus could find is location, now that the majority of the shops were closed or packed up.

He decided it was time to eat something, as not to make the situation worse. He took out another loaf of bread and ate it thoughtfully as he stared up at the sky, feeling rather helpless. Without Balgus, he didn't have a clear idea of what was going on, or what he should expect. He felt like a lost traveler in an enchanted forest of which he was not familiar with the magic rules. He sighed when he finished the last piece of the bread and looked around the empty marketplace.

He noticed an older man staring at him from the other end of a wooden booth. Van wasn't quite sure what to make of the situation but he decided it was better to blend in than make himself look suspicious by ignoring the man's stare so he walked over to the booth. When he got there, the man immediately pulled out a red carpet and pointed at the gold lining that framed the sides.

"Ah, I see that I did not summon you in vain. You look like a traveler that needs a fine rug. I am only asking 7 shems for this fabulous piece of art woven on the loom of an angel of craftsmanship. Imagine! An enchanted rug like this for only 7 shems. What do you say, my good traveler?"

Van blinked a few times, unsure of what to say. He was not familiar with this realm or its laws. Any words he said could cause the locals to discover he wasn't really supposed to be there and question his purpose in their plane. He thought for moment and then cautiously started, "I'm not looking for a carpet today, my fine merchant. I am on a quest for something of greater importance."

Van bit his lip and hoped that it was enough to satisfy the merchant's curiosity. He was surprised when the man behind the booth laughed and threw the carpet behind him.

"Well of course you are. You have look of a traveler that is trying to find someone. For only 5 shems I can give you information on a person's whereabouts. I have a gift for locating people, you see."

Van stared at the wrinkled face of the man thoughtfully. He needed to find Balgus and Isaac and he finally found someone that could help. He knew that the information the old man could give him was vital to him rescuing Hitomi. On the other hand, he had no idea what shems were or whether or not he could fully trust the man. After staring into the man's yellow eyes for a while he finally managed to say, "Your help would be much appreciated, but I am afraid that I do not have any shems to pay with. I'm sorry for wasting your time."

Van turned to leave the booth, but was stopped in his tracks by the icy fingers of the man pulling his arms back toward him.

"Wait, wait! Don't leave! Listen, I saw you eating the food of the immortals this morning. Not everyone knows what it looks like, but I do. I have been offered the food of heaven plenty of times and have chosen to refuse it each time it was offered. I have kind of a fear of crossing over, you see. I prefer to stay here, and sell my goods. However, there are many people in the market that are waiting for their time to cross over. Some have waited centuries. Others have waited millenniums."

The old man took his hand off of Van's arm and leaned over the booth.

"The point I'm trying to make, is that your immortal food would sell very well in my shop. I am a businessman so I am willing to make you a trade; your immortal food for my abilities. What do you say my fine sir? You aren't going to find anyone else in this market that can locate your friends, I can tell you that much."

Van pursed his lips together and stared into the bright yellow eyes of the old man. He didn't trust him one lick but he wanted to find Balgus and Isaac as soon as possible. Van sighed and reluctantly took a small container that held pieces of small, chocolate candies inside of it. He put it on the counter of the shop, keeping his hand firm on the top of the box as he did.

"I will give you this container of immortal food. However, I won't let go of the box until you have told me where my friends are. If you can't accept these terms, than there is no deal."

The man looked at the box greedily and then nodded.

"Alright, you have yourself a deal."

The man reached into his booth and took out a deck of cards, similar to the ones Hitomi used to predict the future. The cards had illustrations of dragons on the faces of them. The man put twelve of the cards face down on the booth and then started to turn them over one by one. When they were all facing up, he studied them thoughtfully and relayed their meanings.

"The white dragon says that you are on a quest of great importance to rescue something that has been taken from you. The black dragon indicates that there is some impending doom if you are not able to complete your task. Very interesting. You are not the ordinary traveler, I see."

The man examined Van suspiciously and then continued his reading.

"There are two dragons here of interest. One is the bronze dragon and the other is the silver. The bronze dragon tells me that one of your quest mates has the spirit of a warrior. The other one, who has yet to be discovered, is atoning for the dark sins of his past. These two travelers have met according to the blue dragon and are stuck in the fifth level of purgatory, due to the other traveler's business there. If you were to take the portal to the fifth level according to the orange dragon, you will find them with no difficulty. The yellow dragon indicates that the men will be doing business inside a large building with a moon on the face of it. However, the green dragon warns that the people you travel with are not what they seem. You must keep this in mind as you head off on your journey with them."

The man gathered the cards together in his hands and eyed the container Van was holding against the table.

"Now that I have given you my reading, I hope that you will give me what you have promised."

Van nodded and took his hand off of the container. The man greedily pulled it toward him and placed it under his booth.

"It was a pleasure doing business. Remember, you must meet them at the fifth level. Otherwise, you will have to wait here for two more days."

Van thanked the man and placed the grey backpack on his shoulders. He ran to the white, round structure he had emerged from with Balgus the day before. He climbed up the stairs and stood in the center of the structure focusing every thought on the fifth level of purgatory. Before he had time to think about what was happening, a white light emerged from the center and took him to his new destination.

He emerged to find a large city. There were buildings like Van had never seen before, with hundreds of lights poking out from the sides of them. There were strange roads made from soft black rocks that led to the different parts of the city. Van stared at the mass size of the place in awe and then shook his head to snap out of it. He was on a mission; he had to find the building with the moon on the face of it, if he was going to find Balgus and Isaac.

He walked along the black road that had strange symbols on it until he reached a large sign that he assumed served as the city's directory. He studied the map and felt waves of excitement grip him when he saw a building with a moon on it in the far, left corner. The map called it "The Bureau Of Missing Souls." He studied which roads to take in order to reach it and wrote a few notes on how to get there in a journal he had retrieved from his bag. When he was finished, he set off down the road to find his two traveling companions. It took about an hour to get to his destination by foot. The roads were vast and wound in many different directions. A lot of the time Van had wasted was trying to figure out how to navigate the large roads through the giant city.

He stood outside of the building and took a deep breath. He prayed to the gods that his friends were inside. He pulled open one of the glass doors that framed the front entrance of the building and stepped inside. He was relieved when he found Balgus and Isaac talking to one another in the front lobby. He ran toward Balgus, who took notice of him immediately and frowned.

As he walked up to the two men Balgus said crossly, "What are you doing here, My Lord? I thought I told you to wait for us. You could have very well gotten yourself lost."

Van glanced up with a look of apology on his face not quite sure how to explain himself and Balgus let out a sigh.

"Well you are here now. I am happy that you were able to reach us unharmed. I would like you to meet the man who is going to help us on our quest."

Balgus gestured toward an old man standing beside him.

"This is Isaac. He knows how to legally get us into the eighth level of Hell, where Hitomi's soul has been imprisoned. We are at this office in order to get the proper clearance. Well, as far as the council of angels that runs this realm know, anyway."

Van looked at the old man with long grey hair and purple eyes that was standing before him and shifted in his place. There was something about the old man that seemed eerily familiar but he couldn't place his finger on it. Not wanting to prolong the silence any longer Van outstretched one of his hands and smiled awkwardly at the man.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Isaac. I am Van Fanel, of the kingdom Fanelia. At least, that was my formal title when I was still alive. Thank you for helping me with my quest to rescue my wife."

Isaac took his hand and shook it gently. His old hand felt surprisingly warm, for being as old and wrinkled as it appeared.

"You are more than welcome, my boy. It's my job to make sure everyone ends up where they ought to go. I don't think your wife was placed in the right realm, whether she committed suicide or not. I have seen her past actions and she was nothing less than a hero. It is my honor to do my part to save her from her current fate."

Van nodded as the old man let of his hand. Balgus turned toward Van after the two men had been formally introduced.

"There isn't much that you can do to help right now. You should wait in the lobby until we secure the proper paper work."

Van realized that he didn't have much to offer the two men so he gave Balgus a small grunt in response and walked across the lobby to sit in one of the chairs by a large glass window. Isaac and Balgus walked to the front counter and began asking the woman behind it for the proper forms. As Van sat and waited in the lobby, he overheard the conversation of two women sitting next to him in the sitting area.

"Did you hear that someone gave a purgatory merchant some food from the other side?"

"No way! Isn't that a big offense?"

"Yeah, but for some reason the council of angels is just writing it off as a misunderstanding. They confiscated the goods a few hours ago."

"Oh, I bet that merchant is angry!"

"Naw, it's old man Shooreyn. He is usually pretty understanding of situations like that. I think he knew that he couldn't get away with it. Not with all of those angels on constant patrol of the area."

"You didn't tell me it was him. No wonder no one got in trouble. Isn't he in charge of watching over the new souls that find themselves in Purgatory?"

"Yep, he sure is. If you ask me, he gets away with more than should be allowed."

A feminine voice over an overcome system called the two women to an appointment they had scheduled earlier and they promptly got up from their seats in the waiting room. They walked down a long corridor leading to another portion of the building chatting away as they went. Van smiled as he realized that the old man's intention was to help him find his friends all along. He was glad that he allowed himself to trust him, despite his previous doubts.

When Balgus and Isaac finished filling out the proper forms they joined Van in the sitting area of the Bureau of Missing Souls. Isaac pointed toward a clause that indicated their safe passage to the eighth level of hell and handed the document to Van to look over. Van took the document in his hands and read it to himself.

_This clause assures that all members to which the contract is binding may stay in hell for as long as their assignment requires. Members must comply by the rules of the bureau and at no time may try to interfere with the laws of heaven. Anyone that is found tampering with the laws of purgatory, heaven, or other realms therein will be sent to an appropriate level of hell to serve out their term of punishment. Absolutely no exceptions will be made._

Isaac saw the concerned look on Van's face and smiled at him reassuringly.

"I am very familiar with the laws we need to follow. Do not let the contract intimidate you. There are loopholes in every system."

Van handed the document back to Isaac and nodded as he placed it in a bag at his side.

"So, when do we set out on our journey?"

Balgus winced. He knew that Van was not going to be happy with what he had to tell him.

"We will set out on our journey tomorrow. I feel that it is too late to do anything productive today. We will camp out at the twelfth level of purgatory again, because it is the quickest route to hell. Please forgive us for the delay."

Balgus was surprised when Van shook his head enthusiastically.

"I agree with you, Balgus. It is better to have all of our energy saved up for the journey we are going to take into the underworld. I'm just happy that we have safe passage in the first place, and a guide. That means there is more hope of saving Hitomi's life."

Isaac chuckled merrily to himself starting the two men.

"That is the spirit, young Lord! Don't give up before we've started. Now, let's get to the twelfth level before it gets too late out."

The men agreed and stood from their seats in the lobby. It took a shorter amount of time to reach the teleportation device with Isaac leading the party. The white light embraced the travelers and sent them spiraling to the twelfth level of purgatory, that had already started to turn dark. Van was surprised at the sudden change in daylight. He guessed that they had spent more time in the fifth level than he originally had thought. When Balgus saw his confused look he pointed toward the skylight of the white teleportation device.

"Time operates differently on each of the planes. Even though we have only been on the fifth level of purgatory for a few hours, almost a whole say has passed on the twelfth layer. Time passes a lot quicker down here. That is why I suggested we head out tomorrow. It will be closer in time down here to what it is in the underworld."

Van nodded and followed the men as they journeyed down to the marketplace, which had been packed up for the night. They set up camp and made sure to eat the food of the immortals before turning in to sleep. Before Van drifted into the realm of dreams he turned toward Balgus with a look of question from his end of the camp.

"Balgus, I remembered yesterday that my children are here in heaven. Will I be able to see them after I get Hitomi back?"

Balgus turned around in his sleeping mat.

"That, your majesty, depends on you. You will see them when you are ready."

Van thought about asking what his sword master had meant, but it was too late. He could hear the sounds of Balgus snoring, and Isaac beginning to join the chorus with his own snores shortly after. Van laid back and his bed and looked at the odd configuration of stars above. He prayed that he would be able to find his children with all of his heart. His mind slowly began to drift off into the comforting realm of slumber where he dreamed off all of the good times he and Hitomi had spent with each other on Gaea before the tragedies in their lives had struck.


End file.
